The Life Cycle of Societies

If we contemplate the history of mankind, we see again and again that large and powerful societies collapse. But how is this even possible? Why doesn’t the society with the most resources, the best technology, and the most manpower manage to survive and spread better than any other? – This book goes through several plausible explanations, but in the end we conclude, that it must be due to the different thoughts, feelings, decisions, and actions of the members of that society itself.

Building on the assumption of a universal human nature, this book describes the effects of size and wealth on the members of successful societies. Amongst other things, we see that, over several generations, internal cohesion declines, values and virtues disintegrate, and society becomes weak, divided, unproductive, and decadent. Conversely, smallness and poverty force the members of a society to cooperate, to help each other, to make sacrifices, and to be courageous, strong, and/or industrious. This is the only way to explain, that small and poor societies can outlast, push back, or even conquer large and rich ones.

Expected length: Approx. 300 pages

Expected publication date: End of 2025